Nature's Path Organic with Candice Macalino

Please join Candice Macalino, Nature’s Path’s Marketing Event Manager, as she does two demos at Veggie Fest featuring Nature’s Path organic products. On Saturday she shows us a simple dessert of caramelized banana, grilled pineapple and peaches topped with coconut whip and paired with Chocolate Peanut Butter “Yum” Balls, a decadent dessert made with dates, chocolate and peanut butter.

On Sunday, Candice will be showing us how to make Avocado Boats with Crunchy tofu. Bursting with flavor and crunch, these avocado boats are a yummy vegan alternative to baked eggs in avocado.

Nature’s Path is a family-run, passionately independent, sustainably-driven, deliciously-healthy organic food company that believes in "leaving the earth better than we found it". At Nature’s Path, they live for healthy, great-tasting organic foods. Growing organic, healthy foods in a sustainable way is their passion and the cornerstone of company.

Whole Foods Market with Viv Proano

Please join Viv Proano, one of Whole Foods Market’s Chefs, as she demos a desert and an entrée using summer’s bounty, a raw berry crisp and a raw pasta dish.

Viviana Proano trained in the Culinary Arts program at Kendall College. To enhance her culinary training she interned at Michelin-starred Acadia. After the fast paced Chicago restaurant scened,Viv brought her talents to Whole Foods Market, where she has created a cooking class and beverage tasting program that will be brought to Whole Foods Market locations in seven states.

Whole Foods Market was founded in Austin, Texas, when four local businesspeople decided the natural foods industry was ready for a supermarket format. They look for the finest natural and organic foods available, maintain the strictest quality standards in the industry, and have an unshakeable commitment to sustainable agriculture. We are proud to have them as a sponsor at Veggie Fest.

The Veg Coach, Ellen Jaffe Jones

Please join Ellen Jaffe Jones who will bring you ideas from her new cookbook, “Vegan For One” that will give you confidence to cook delicious meal just for one!

On Saturday she will be demonstrating a couple of healthy smoothies and a breakfast burrito. On Sunday, she will show us how to make a Waldorf Salad with Yogurt Dressing, Sesame Slaw with a delicious sesame, ginger dressing and a wonderful light Miso Noodle Soup with ginger and greens.

Ellen Jaffe Jones is a U.S. consumer, health, and fitness journalist and author. She is the author of Eat Vegan on $4 a Day--A Game Plan for the Budget Conscious Cook, "The Kitchen Divided-Vegan Recipes for the Semi-Vegan Household,” Paleo Vegan: Plant-Based Primal Recipes, and “Vegan For One.”

Summer Favorites with Ray Glend

Please join Ray Glend as he demonstrates summer flavors with a healthy twist. He will be showing us how to make a vegan club sandwich and that perennial favorite picnic dish, potato salad.

Ray Glend is an entrepreneur, a marathon runner and a US veteran. For over 40 years he’s had an interest in a healthy lifestyle including food, sports, and spirituality. He loves to cook and to explore international cuisine as he blends traditional with non-traditional recipes.

Chicago VeganMania With Marla Rose

Sunday, 3:00 pm: Green Goddess Salad Dressing and Blueberry Fudge

Looking for the perfect salad dressing? Please join Marla Rose from VeganMania as she demonstrates Green Goddess Dressing. She will also show us how to make a fudge using summer’s favorite berry, the blueberry!

Chicago VeganMania is a free, daylong celebration of vegan culture, commerce, community, cuisine and couture. This year's Chicago VeganMania is happening September 23 at the Broadway Armory, 5917 N. Broadway in Chicago.

Marla Rose is an award-nominated journalist, author, activist and mother. She is co-founder of Chicago VeganMania and is partner with Vegan Street Media and Consulting. In 2009, she and her husband were awarded activists of the year by Mercy for Animals.

Healthy & Happy Living with Ewa Stankewicz and Sebastian

Please join Ewa And Sebastian on Saturday as they demonstrate a delicious veggie lasagna using the Salad Master EOC.

On Sunday, they will again be using the Saladmaster when they make Cheesy Bowtie Pasta with Summer Veggies.

Ewa and Sebastian’s journey began five years ago when they both suffered from chronic illnesses and could not find a healthy solution. Around that time, Ewa and Sebastian were invited to a cooking demonstration where they learned the importance and nutritional benefits of cooking on low temperatures with no oil and no water – allowing 98% of the vitamins and minerals within the foods to be retained. This method of cooking was the solution they were looking for and it helped change their health tremendously.

Look for Ewa and Sebastian at their booth and learn more about their journey and their kitchen appliances.

Flavors of India with Vimi Shukla

Sunday, 11:30 am: Moong Dal and Indian Potatoes with Green Beans

Indian food is a creative combination of spicy, savory, sweet & flavorful ingredients. As the practice of vegetarianism spreads, many of us strive to master techniques in creating vegetarian dishes. In this demo you'll learn a few vegetarian Indian recipes which you will hopefully enjoy recreating at home.

Vimi Shukla is passionate about cooking and is always exploring new possibilities. Her family inspires her to try out new dishes, and it gives her immense pleasure when people enjoy her new creations. She is always looking ways to make heart healthy, delicious and wholesome meals which satisfies head and heart both.

Acooba Scott Cooks

Saturday, 4:30 pm: Chickpea “Tuna” Salad

Sunday, 4:30 pm: Tofu Pate

Please join one of our favorite chefs, Acooba Scott as she shows you how easy it is to make vegan snacks. On Saturday, she will demonstrate Chickpea “Tuna” Salad that is chock full of all the ingredients that a traditional tuna salad has like celery, onions, relish and mayonnaise but made vegan! On Sunday, Acooba will make one of her original recipes, Tofu Pate, that is savory with garlic, lemon pepper, basil and smoked paprika, finished with a Kalamata olive garnish.

Acooba Scott has more than 25 years of experience raising a family of vegetarians and vegans. She has given numerous cooking classes in Southern California and has been a guest chef at Veggie Fest for the past 4 years. Acooba loves to show people how to make healthy meals for themselves and their loved ones on an affordable plant based diet that everyone can love.

Chef Ramses Bravo, Vegan Chef

Please join Chef Ramses Bravo on Saturday as he demos a trio of tasty veggie recipes that will delight your taste buds and astound you when you realize that they are made without salt or oil!

On Sunday, Chef Ramses is back on Sunday to demonstrate a delicious Butternut Squash and Kale Soup that is both heathy and delicious. Accompanying the soup, he will be serving a fresh and flavorful Hawaiian Salad. The only thing missing will be the ukulele!

Chef Ramses has been the executive chef for True North Health Center since 2007. He is the author of “Bravo!” cookbook, “Bravo Express!” e-books and “The Love Kitchen” e-books. He teaches adults and children how to cook healthy meals in many parts of the country and enjoys it very much. He is also an aspiring writer.

Easy Peasy Cooking with Mary Pomerantz

Sunday, 5:00 pm: Summer Salad Duet

Please join Mary Pomerantz as she demos a Summer Salad duet for carefree summer meals. She will be showing us how to take simple ingredients, turning them into highly flavorful and healthy summer salads that can stand by themselves or accompany a meal.

Mary Pomerantz has loved cooking since she was a child. Being the oldest daughter in a family of seven children, she started with simple dishes but graduated to complete meals, mastering the art of cooking before she left home. She became a vegetarian in 1969 and loves cooking and sampling International cuisines.

Mary has been giving cooking demos for over 10 years. In addition, she has been coordinating the cooking demos at Veggie Fest for the last 10 years.

Chef Gaetan

Saturday, 5:00 pm: Every Day Stir Fry

Please join Chef Gaetan as he shows us how easy it is to prepare a delicious healthy meal even if you have little time to cook. He will show us how to make an Every Day Stir Fry with a Three Minute Rice.

Gaetan Charest comes to us from Montreal Canada. He became vegetarian in 1971.

Because he was not satisfied with the taste and the style of vegetarian food at the time, he enrolled in a Macrobiotic Cooking Class in 1973, thereby starting a lifelong adventure in cooking and eating new foods.

Since that cooking class, he has experimented with herb, spices and cooking techniques to enhance the appeal and the flavor of the vegetarian dishes he prepares.

As executive producer for Television he has produced several cooking shows and is in the process of developing a vegetarian cooking show for the US market

Alice and Friends Vegan Kitchen

Sunday, 2:00 pm: Korean Sushi

Please join Moon, owner of Alice and Friends Vegan Kitchen in Chicago, as she demonstrates Korean Sushi. Korean sushi is the same but different in one respect from Japanese sushi. Come and taste the difference at this demo!

Alice and Friends Vegan Kitchen is a vegan restaurant located in Chicago on Broadway St. that celebrates the flavors and beauty of vegan cuisine.

Their goal is to create a wonderland for vegans and those who like and want to adopt a plant-based diet, to enjoy flavorful and healthy 100% vegan dishes. They aim to make a real difference and make a difference for people who think about adopting a plant-based diet

Glow with Lavina

Saturday, 3:30 pm: The Most Delicious Chocolate Cupcakes Ever

Lavina Sethi is an avid meditator, vegan baker, and loves to experiment with different kinds of foods, both sweet and savory! Please join her as she demonstrates that vegetarians can still make delicious moist baked goods without eggs.

Lavina believes that being a vegetarian or vegan not only makes one feel good physically about what they are eating, but also helps one live a more kind and compassionate life, one in which people and animals are all part of a big family!

Easy Tofu Meals with Nicole

Nicole was born in Montreal Canada. As a child, she loved to cook and bake. She became interested in a plant base diet in 1982 and became a weekday vegetarian. In 1992 she became a full time lacto vegetarian and opened Kiki's Kitchen providing weekly vegan meal for clients. She also taught her clients how to cook vegan food in their own homes. Nicole strongly believes that it's important for one’s health to know how to prepare simple and delicious meals for oneself or family.